Aural Fixation

Such Stuff As (Sweet) Dreams Are Made On

As the Bard noted, we are but players, and all the world’s a stage. But what if we are the world—as Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie once wrote—and the players and the stage? I almost titled this “Keep Calm and Listen to 4AD,” but that’s inaccurate; some of these bands were on 4AD, but this is really just a frisson-inducing mix largely composed of circa-1980s songs referencing love, lust, loss and yearning. If you’re currently heartbroken, I recommend rocking black eyeliner while listening: It won’t set your (temporarily?) upended world right, but it will make your tears more aesthetically interesting. So queue up our Kohl Heart mix at bit.ly/kohlheart, light some yellow candles in the dark and sulk. Go on, you’ve earned it.